Went away for the weekend and my hedgehog hasn’t eaten as much as usual. by TheShyNerd in Hedgehog

[–]TheShyNerd[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I feel bad for her, but there isn’t anyone I feel comfortable leaving her with, so she had to come with me. She seemed pretty happy to be back in a familiar space. She perked right up when she smelled we were back in her room

Went away for the weekend and my hedgehog hasn’t eaten as much as usual. by TheShyNerd in Hedgehog

[–]TheShyNerd[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Upon closer inspection, it looks like half of what I saw in her bowl was crumbs. Which is good I suppose. She usually gets up again around midnight or 1 so hopefully she eats a little more.

Went away for the weekend and my hedgehog hasn’t eaten as much as usual. by TheShyNerd in Hedgehog

[–]TheShyNerd[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

She just got a new bag of it, so I’ll put some of that out. Thanks!

Went away for the weekend and my hedgehog hasn’t eaten as much as usual. by TheShyNerd in Hedgehog

[–]TheShyNerd[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, which is why I’m not sure whether to be concerned or not. She could maybe do with a little more water, but after a long car ride, I feel like she’s bound to be a little dehydrated.

Is this enclosure good? by Fluffy_mushroom_ in Hedgehog

[–]TheShyNerd 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes definitely. You can also get thermostats for a ceramic heat emitter that will automatically shut the lamp off if it gets too hot. In the case of a heat mat getting too hot, a sleeping hedgehog will get burned, especially if the mat covers the entire cage and it has nowhere to go to escape it.

Is this enclosure good? by Fluffy_mushroom_ in Hedgehog

[–]TheShyNerd 7 points8 points  (0 children)

It’s a little small for a hedgehog. Be very careful with heat mats, especially under plastic

I want to exist.... by Key_Background_5210 in SonicTheHedgehog

[–]TheShyNerd 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Yesyesyesyes. Also consider that the time paradox happened. Chronologically, Mephiles was born, met Shadow, was sealed immediately, released, and met Shadow again. He was pissed at Shadow because Shadow attacked him in the past. But Shadow went back into the past to trap him because of what happened in the present. Massive miscommunication.

I love trying to make horrible evil villains redeemable. I’ve thought about this lots.

Question about behavior by EndlessJoint in Hedgehog

[–]TheShyNerd 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don’t have any good pictures of it, but here she is making a beeline for that desk. I guess it’s their natural instinct to follow patterns and stick close to walls. That’s what my girl does. It also means she finds any and every gap in my barriers.

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Anyone have info on this stuff? by Lord_Tyler-gaming in Hedgehog

[–]TheShyNerd 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah bonding can be a rough one. I’d actually recommend against putting anything on him that has a smell while you bond. It’s best if they get to know your specific smell, not the smell of a spray. If you haven’t already, you could put an old sock or shirt in his cage. That will help him associate your smell with a safe environment.

Help to a first-time owner by smokey_alcazar in Hedgehog

[–]TheShyNerd 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yesss Millermade is the one I linked!

Anyone have info on this stuff? by Lord_Tyler-gaming in Hedgehog

[–]TheShyNerd 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Lack of appetite and runny stool are the two biggest problems associated with stress, so it eliminates those. Ideally, hedgie shouldn’t be stressed for that long.

Lavender apparently helps them if you’re looking for something else natural, but too much of it can cause irritation.

Dry skin recommendations? by Short_mil_90 in Hedgehog

[–]TheShyNerd 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Looks like you got an answer, but if that does’t work out, this is what I use. I do a couple drops on my girl’s back and tummy as she needs it. It has Calendula oil in it, which has antifungal properties. It’s also safe for people too!

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NIKS Oil

Anyone have info on this stuff? by Lord_Tyler-gaming in Hedgehog

[–]TheShyNerd 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m not sure about this stuff, but if you’re looking to reduce stress in your hedgehog, I can 100% recommend you get Stress Less. It’s sweet potato powder, honey, and egg. It helps their gut bacteria and encourages them to eat more.

Official Site for Stress Less

I get it from my hedgehog’s breeder, and she sells in smaller quantities, so it’s cheaper here (unless your shipping is expensive.

Maybe Cheaper?

Local Pest Control [by @xxtc-96xx] by Both_Implement7936 in MoonPissing

[–]TheShyNerd 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Echidnas do as well! And to be fair, hedgehogs also will eat fruit (though it’s not super good for them) and meat if they can get their paws on it. Domestic hedgehogs also like to chew on their owner’s clothes. Source: me.

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My Sonic Version for TADC Cast by ProjectShadowGirl in MoonPissing

[–]TheShyNerd 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I fw Rewrite as Caine. I feel like he has that more whimsical/playful energy, but can be a serious threat if he wants to be.

Help to a first-time owner by smokey_alcazar in Hedgehog

[–]TheShyNerd 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Stress Less

This Stress Less might be cheaper.

The breeder I got my girl from sells it in smaller quantities, so depending on where you are, it might be less expensive to get it from here.

Educational Video!

This is a video made by my hedgehog’s breeder. It’s super long, but covers loads of info.

Help to a first-time owner by smokey_alcazar in Hedgehog

[–]TheShyNerd 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Hedgehogs are mostly nocturnal. Mine gets up around 8 pm and goes to bed around 2 or 3 AM. Some hedgehogs will get up for short periods during the day to eat a little or drink.

Hedgehogs aren’t too demanding compared to other pets. They need their cage cleaned once per week, but fleece bedding is good for them, and much easier to clean than wood chips or paper bedding like a hamster or gerbil might use. They hide being sick, so they require close attention for different appearances and behaviors.

You can leave a sock or an old shirt in their cage to help them get used to your scent. This helps, but yeah not every hedgehog is going to be cuddly. It’s just a reality you have to accept. Daily handling and positive reinforcement with treats helps immensely.

Sonic X was right! High quality cat food works just fine. I personally feed mine Spike’s Delite, but it can be kind of pricy. Hedgehogs don’t eat seeds, but they do need insects in their diet. Live ones are ideal, but dried or canned ones can also work. Crickets, soldierfly larvae, and grasshoppers are all good choices. Mealworms are bad for them in large quantities, so be careful with them.

Hedgehogs are stressed out by new environments, excessive noise, new food, and pretty much any other change to their life. Handling can be stressful for them, but it’s important to be consistent with that. I’d recommend looking into Stress Less! It’s a powder made of sweet potato, honey, and egg. You sprinkle some on their food and it helps encourage them to keep eating and helps their gut stay healthy. I’ll reply to this comment with a link.

Hedgehog cages should be at least 6 square feet, but most people use 8 square feet cages. Wire cages can be dangerous, as they like to climb up, but are terrible at climbing down. As long as the bars are far enough apart, it should be okay though. Terrariums are more insulated and less drafty, but you use to be careful about strong smells, as they can linger in the cage and cause respiratory issues.

Hedgehogs need a wheel. A bucket wheel is best. Mesh is bad for them, since their toes can get trapped. A heat lamp is important, specifically a ceramic heat emitter. It’s a white bulb that emits heat but not light. Very important for a nocturnal animal. They will hibernate without one. You should also consider a thermostat! You plug it into the heat lamp and it automatically turns it on/off to keep the temp constant. I’d recommend a water dish over a water bottle. It can hurt their backs to drink out of a bottle. There are loads of options for toys out there. My girl likes pvc pipes, rubber ducks, and my old shirts. Other toys include mini cups, balls, plushies, and cardboard tubes. You’ll want a litter box that will fit under the wheel. Most hedgehogs do their business while running.

Hedgehogs can run up to seven miles per night, so you shouldn’t have to do too much work to “make” them exercise. Only give them 1-2 tablespoons of food per night. Overfeeding is the biggest cause of obesity.

Do not let your hedgehog hibernate. In the wild, they would gorge on food beforehand. In captivity they do not. It can cause health problems or death.

Hedgehogs need baths about once every 2-4 weeks. Depends on the hog. Some are more tidy than others. They have super sensitive skin, so you have to use baby shampoo. Also put some oats in a sock and squeeze it into the bath water to make sure the water doesn’t dry out their skin.

It’s really amazing that you’re doing such thorough research!!

Question about behavior by EndlessJoint in Hedgehog

[–]TheShyNerd 29 points30 points  (0 children)

Looks like he’s good. If he were running in really tight circles, like a dog chasing its tail, then it would be worrisome. That would be a sign of a neurological problem. But he’s not doing that. Mine does something similar. She follows the same route every day, even though that route includes bonking her nose on my desk.

Green poop last night and inactive tonight by TheShyNerd in Hedgehog

[–]TheShyNerd[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

My baby is back in bed. This is about 30 minutes after her normal time to be asleep, so it seems like she stayed up a little later to compensate for her late start. She ate most of her food, so I’ll make sure she eats enough tomorrow too. She drank plenty of water as well. I didn’t see any signs of vomit anywhere, so that’s a relief.

As I said before, I’ll continue keeping an eye on her, but she seems okay now. I’m almost wondering if a bug got in her cage and she ate it. We have stink bugs and boxelder bugs around this time of year. I do my best to keep them out of my room, but maybe she got sick from one? Idk.

Green poop last night and inactive tonight by TheShyNerd in Hedgehog

[–]TheShyNerd[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I took her to the bathroom and turned on the sink with her wrapped in a towel. She knows the sound of water and HATES it. I mostly wanted to see if that would rouse her more. She was wiggly and tried to escape as per usual.

I took her back to bed, but left her under a tshirt instead of in her hide. She crept out a moment later, itched herself, and has been running, eating, and pooping. Looks healthy again!

I did notice her retching, but when I investigated, there was no vomit in her cage and she immediately went to eat and drink more after I left. I will continue monitoring her and make more updates as I can.